TPCT Underwater Rugby Women

Federal University of Vicosa26 enrolled

Overview

This randomized controlled trial evaluates whether adding a short, structured team-reflection protocol (Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking, TPCT) to regular elite women's underwater rugby training improves tactical efficiency. Both groups complete the same training content and time; the TPCT group uses brief guided discussion during recovery intervals, while the control group uses the same time for passive recovery. Tactical efficiency is assessed using video-recorded 3v3 scrimmages coded with the RUSTAC checklist at baseline and after 6 weeks.

A parallel, two-arm randomized controlled trial will be conducted in an elite women's underwater rugby squad. Players will be allocated 1:1 to TPCT or an active control condition using a computer-generated random sequence. The intervention consists of 18 sessions over 6 weeks (3/week), 2 hours per session, delivered in an outdoor 4 m pool and a marked 10 m × 8 m underwater area. Sessions include a short coach introduction (\~15 min), constrained small-sided games designed to elicit target tactical principles, and ≥60 min free-play (≥50% of session) to preserve representativeness and transfer. The TPCT condition embeds \~3 min structured reflection between small-sided bouts using a fixed 5-question protocol aligned to critical thinking operations; the control condition uses equivalent between-bout time for passive recovery/hydration.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Tactical Index

Interventions

Matched Tactical Training Programme (MTT)BEHAVIORAL

Standardized underwater rugby tactical training delivered over 6 weeks (3 sessions/week; 18 sessions), \~2 hours/session. Sessions include structured warm-up and an identical tactical training dose across arms using constrained small-sided game bouts targeting pre-specified offensive and defensive tactical principles through constraint manipulation (e.g., space, numerical relations, rules). Free-play exposure is matched across arms. Between-bout intervals include passive recovery/hydration; any structured reflective questioning is delivered only via the TPCT intervention (when applicable).

Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking (TPCT) - Structured Reflective QuestioningBEHAVIORAL

A structured reflective questioning protocol embedded within regular training during recovery intervals between constrained small-sided game bouts. Delivered across the same 6-week period (3 sessions/week; 18 sessions) as MTT. During each recovery interval, the coach facilitates \~3 minutes of guided team discussion using a fixed set of prompts (e.g., intended objective, what helped/hindered, alternatives, and one collective adjustment for the next bout) to elicit interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and explanation of tactical decisions, supporting collective decision-making.

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Female elite underwater rugby players aged ≥18 years. * Officially rostered members of the participating high-performance team/squad. * Regular training participation (minimum 2 sessions per week) in the team's programme. * Able to complete study procedures at Baseline (Visit 1) and Post-intervention at 6 weeks (Visit 2), including standardized 3v3 scrimmage video assessment. * Willing and able to provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Current injury, illness, or medical condition that prevents full participation in regular underwater rugby training during the intervention period. * Anticipated prolonged absence (e.g., travel/competing/other commitments) that would prevent meaningful exposure to the intervention dose (e.g., missing \>20% of sessions). * Inability to complete the assessment procedures reliably (e.g., unable to participate in the standardized 3v3 assessment or comply with study instructions). * Declines participation or withdraws consent.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Overall tactical efficiency (RUSTAC overall index)

Overall tactical efficiency derived from video-based coding of standardized 3v3 underwater rugby scrimmages using the RUSTAC checklist. The overall index is computed as successful tactical actions relative to total tactical decisions (expressed as successful actions per 100 decisions) across offensive and defensive phases.